Dearest Mai
by KatherineAbby
Summary: Mai finds the note Zuko left for her and sees the truth. Zutara-ish. Mostly an I-Hate-Mai fic. One-shot. I didn't re-read this so excuse my mistakes.


**Dearest Mai**

**Abby1313**

_**Dearest Mai,**_

_You must understand me now, you can't do anything else. _

_I'm leaving for a while. Honestly, I'll probably never come back. I'm sorry. _

_I wasn't happy there, at the Fire Nation, being the Prince, being with you. Don't stop understanding, Mai. I'm leaving to fulfill my destiny with the Avatar. Destiny is funny, isn't it? I've been hunting him for three years for my honor, and now I'm going to join him. I'm nervous about how they'll accept me, especially the brash water bender who doesn't like me at all. I'm not leaving because of you, Mai. I'm being serious now. You had nothing to do with my decision, only the fact that I'll miss you terribly._

_You were one of my best friends while I grew up; you always were there. I thank you for that with all my life. If you weren't there after my mother left, I would've surely died or not been the person I am today. You stayed next to me through all my hormonal mood-swings and my antics... even my bad habits of getting angry. I'm hurting you now, as I am also hurting myself. I don't want to leave you, but I must._

_I can't talk to you; I can't tell you exactly where I am, though that's what I want to do most. I don't want to ruin any trust I may have with the Avatar. You understand right? You've run around with Azula enough to know that. Tell her that I hate her lying guts while you're at it, okay? She was a pretty big influence in my decision. _

_I'm so sorry Mai, but our relationship will have to end. Not only will we not see eachother for a very long time, but you aren't what I need right now. You are still an extremely beloved friend, and don't ever forget that. _

_I'm very very sorry, dearest. I really am._

_Zuko_

Her fingers trembled as she lay the note softly back onto her antique, expensive wooden desk. A burning sensation ran through her nose and up to her eyes, the golden orbs being obstructed by the tears. Her lip shivered as she let a single teardrop fall from her cheek and onto the parchment from her love.

Her true love.

And he was gone.

And he didn't love her back.

In a sudden, un-Mai-like move, she flung herself onto the floor, curled up into a ball and cried. Wracking sobs filled her body to the brim, cries escaping her lips. As she rocked back and forth, her love's sister entered, arms crossed.

"Mai, you knew this would happen. He never loved you."

Another sob shook her body. "He does. He does..."

Azula leaned to get eye-contact. "Then why did he leave?"

"I don't know. Not because of me. He said so."

She tsked lightly. "Mai, do you believe the man... no, boy, who left you for the _Avatar_, or me: the woman who's stood by you for so long?"

Mai lifted her head. "You," she mumbled. She didn't want to hear herself anymore, but around Azula, you said things like that.

"Right. Let's get you cleaned up."

Mai stood, wobbling on her toes. As she shuffled out the door, her feet cement blocks attached to her shoes, she managed to find strength to say, "He'll come back for me."

In one second, her face exploded in white hot pain and she found herself thrust into the floor, a heavy boot on her back. "NO! He WON'T, Mai." Azula screamed. Her eyes glowed with fury that mimicked her usual bending. She scoffed at Mai's tears, spun on her heel, and strutted out.

As she walked into the jail cell, her expression un-readable, she saw her ex-boyfriend sitting in a chair, shoulders slumped and defeated. He didn't want to be here, and who would?

Mai leaned up against a wall, folding her arms across her chest. After heaving a shaky sigh she whispered, "Why?"

His face looked up and she saw the sleeplessness reflected in them. Yet, when one is tired and defeated, their eyes usual dulled. Zuko's were bright and happy. He smiled gently to himself as he replied. "I didn't love you Mai. I don't now. I love someone else."

Her anger, a emotion that she rarely felt, burned her heart, along with something along the line of jealousy. She threw her hands down and screamed in her hoarse voice, "HOW DARE YOU?! YOU LOVED ME!!"

He kept on smiling, his expression far away. "No, Mai. I love Katara."

Fin

_Just a I-Hate-Mai fic. Because I do, kind of. How could she take him away from Katara? No matter now. Zutara will happen. :)_


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